Return of the Guardians
by Magmashift
Summary: THEY'RE BAAAAAACK! Pitch has gone back in time to stop the Guardians from being created. He will stop at nothing. Plus there's a turn of events. NO SPOILERS!
1. Preface

It was a nice, warm day in the warren. The perfect day for a nap; which was just what Bunnymund decided to do. No problems, no headaches, no Jack-wait. No Jack? This was too good _too _perfect. He sat up, expecting to see something that would let him know Jack's hiding spot. His ears adjusted, searching for the sound of Jack's clumsy feet snapping a twig.

As he suspected, there came a rustle from the bushes behind him. With the blink of an eye, Bunnymund flung Jack out from hiding. Jack got to his feet with a snicker. "Did you think I wouldn't hear you?" The young Guardian shrugged.

"Can't really blame me for trying." He sat down beside Bunnymund. They sat there, watching the sky. "Oh, this is the reason I came." Jack pulled out a card with words neatly written in cursive on it. 'YOU'RE INVITED!'"A party? No thanks." He threw the invitation to the ground. It was one of those days where a nap took priority over socializing

At least, that was until Jack said, "Well, I guess Mother Nature's gonna be bunnyless today." Bunnymund's eyes popped wide open.

"Why didn't you bloody tell me it wa s _her _party!?" Jack raised his eyebrow as the bunny snatched the invitation out of his hand.

"Well, if you;re going, we have about five minutes."

"WHAT!? Why'd you bloody wait till _now _to tell me!?"

"Hey, I just received this ten minutes ago." With a groan, Bunnymund opened up a tunnel and shoved Jack down.

"I love doing that." They landed in a beautiful garden at the slippered feet of a blue-skinned elf who was smiling.

"I'm glad you guys came." She said. It appeared that Sandy and North had already arrived. So had some elves.

"_I_ would have come sooner, but I got the invite only five minutes ago." Bunnymund explained through bared teeth.

She blinked with a confused look. "I sent them a week ago. Jack did you forget to give it to him?"

As if he figured it out, Bunnymund gritted his teeth. "Why would _he _have itv?"

"I was going to deliver it to you personally, but when I gave him his invitation, he said that he'd give it to you." Bunnymund growled at Jack, who was stifling laughs.

"You can't hit me. I _did _give you the invite." He defended, still trying not to laugh. Bunnymund went to punch Jack, but North noticed them and took the liberty to force them into a group hug. Sandy happily joined in.

"I'd like you guys to meet our newest Guardian, Hallie. This is just a small party. It was either this or the elves' welcoming song." She answered. Jack realized something was missing.

"Where's Tooth." As if she knew he was going to ask this, the young elf pulled out an orb with Tooth's face on it.

"_Sorry, I'm not in guys. I had some business in Europe. The baby fairies are staying to take care of the teeth down there. See you in a few days!_" Her face faded. Hallie looked at the other's quietly. They couldn't help but notice her body covered in stitches as if she were a creation of Dr. Frankenstein.

"So...what is she a Guardian _of_?" Jack asked.

"Guardian of Youth. You can't have Halloween without Youth." Jack blinked.

"So...now that everyone has arrived-"

"Not everyone. We still have one more person. I hope." She said meekly. This time, not even Jack had anything to say.

"_Who_?" Bunnymund asked suspiciously. She smiled nervously in return. "Gai..." As if to answer his question, footsteps were heard walking in. Everyone turned to see who it was. Pitch.

"You all look terrified. How wonderful." He said condescendingly. They looked at Gai.

"Okay, before you all go postal on me, I have a perfectly good explanation."

"Do tell. I'd love to hear why you thought of _me _while making...this." Pitch looked around with a disgusted look on his face.

"If you think about it, we really have _him _to thank, not me." Apparently they didn't agree.

"Why whould we thank _Bogeyman_?" North asked.

"He's the reason you guys were created. If he wasn't such a nightmare, Manny wouldn't have had me make you guys."

"I hate to sound negative, mate but we lost all we held dear to us. Our homes, our family, our _life_." Bunnymund retorted.

"You're welcome." Pitch sneered.

"But think of your great-great-great-GREAT-GREAT-grandchildren that you're now bringing joy to. And grand-nephwes or nieces." She said to Jack.

"So you're tellin' me that this is actually just a party in favor of him, the Bogeyman?" Before Gai could answer, Bunnymund turned to walk away. She ran in front of him, holding her hands together.

"Please don't leave. I made him swear to be on his best behavior. You don't even have to talk to him." Pitch laughed.

"But if you're looking for a fight, I brought a few friends to even the odds." The Guardians turned around to see a shocking sight. Four dark figures that looked almost exactly like them.

"Is that even legal?" Jack asked. Pitch scoffed and turned to the Anti-Guardians. A cold silence filled the air and Gai stepped between the two groups. "Sorry you had to see this. It happens a lot." He said to Hallie, who shrugged.

She laughed and walked up to Pitch. "I've seen scarier masks in the kiddie aisle. And those are some lame masks." Pitch snarled and walked up to her.

"Who are you exactly?"

"I'm _your _Bogeyman, Bogey." Jack stifled a laugh. Pitch rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.

"I didn't come here to stay, I just wanted to return this invitation." The Anti-Jack slammed his staff into the ground with the invitation on the end of it. Gai felt her lip quiver as Pitch walked away saying, "Anyone who thinks I could even _pretend_ to like those idiotic Guardians is a fool."

The clouds turned a soft grey and a drop of rain was felt on Sandy's head. Everyone knew what that meant. "Don't cry. It is Pitch. No one likes him anyway." North comforted.

"I just wanted everyone to get along for one day." She sniffed.

"As long as Pitch is around, you can kiss that dream good-bye." Bunnymund said.

Pitch growled and remembered what Gai had said. Could it be true? Was _he _the reason they were created? NO! It couldn't be! But... A tinge of disgust swept over him like the flu. She was right. Just as it had come, the disgust quickly disappeared and was replaced with excitement. He had a plan. He signaled the Anti-Guardians and they went away. Pitch would have his revenge even if it meant his life.

**A/N: So that's the end of the preface. Hope you guys enjoyed. I will be updating soon. Hopefully. And ntm that I will TRY to work on my other stories, but I doubt that since I'm stuck on this one. It's been written out (by hand), so I have it all done. Mostly. Gai is my OC, Mother Nature, Hallie is my friend's OC, Spirit of Halloween and Guardian of Youth. Feel free to comment, but leave any negative comments in the nicest way possible. I hate starting flame wars. (not)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Jack sat by Bunnymund as North helped Gai clean up after the party. Sandy sat by them, sipping a cup of tea. "That was a pleasant party." Jack sighed. Bunnymund half-heartedly grunted in agreement. "What's wrong with you?" When he didn't get an answer, Jack hit him in the head with his staff.**

**"Ow! What the bloody heck was that for!?"**

**"You had the same look in your eye like when North sees a plate of cookies. What gives?"**

**"Oh, ehm, nothin'. Just a lil bit stressed about Easter this year. It's gonna be a big one." He answered a bit too unconvincingly. Jack crossed his arms. "What?"**

**"North and his cookies, you and your Gai."**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**Jack raised his eyebrows nonchalantly. " that you like Gai. That's a weird name for a girl though. A girl named Gai." Bunnymund glared at Sandy, who was laughing with an image of a heart over his head.**

**"Shut up!" He punched the heart and Sandy nonchalantly went back to sipping tea. "What makes you think I like her?"**

**"Let's see. You flipped a lid when you found out it was her party and you're now staring at her like a dog stares at a bone. Or a deer in headlights."**

**"You're saying that I look like I want to chew on her."**

**"...You're being too literal. I mean, I don't blame you. She's pretty, but way too young for you." Bunnymund glared and walked away. Jack shrugged and mumbled to Sandy, "Well, he didn't say I was wrong."**

**Gai smiled as she cleared the area where the table had been. "I can't wait until Valentine's Day. Romance, chocolate, Cupid." The sky turned pink and flowers bloomed in beautiful colors of red. Her face burned with a light pink. "The most handsome of all Guardians."**

**North laughed. "Looks like someone has crush." Gai blinked back into reality.**

**"I guess it's kind of obvious."**

**"Only a lot." Jack said.**

**Gai exclaimed as her necklace shone brighter than usual. "Ah! I'm late! Come on!" She dragged them through a magic portal and they landed in a marble white workshop. "Oh man. Time is gonna kill me!" She ran to an orb, chewing on her nails. "I was scheduled for a storm in Topeka!"**

**"So? Make one now." Jack said. Gai pulled at her hair and paced frantically.**

**"Yeah, yeah. If I do it now, maybe he won't notice." She squeaked as an image of an old, decrepit man appeared before her. Nervously, she gulped, "Hi." **

**"I want to see you in my palace _now_!" He thundered. Gai hid behind North as she nodded meekly.**

**"Um, I need someone to make the storm. Do you guys think you can handle it?" They nodded and she quietly left.**

**"She wants us to make a storm? Why can't she just wiggle her finger and make one?" Sandy tried to explain, but Jack still had yet to understand him. "Dude, learn to speak." Bunnymund rolled his eyes and stuffed some grey clouds into a cauldron.**

**"She only makes storms when she's angry."**

**"And?"**

**"She's never angry, mate. North, hand me some lightning." North handed him a bucket of lightning and he threw in a handful.**

**"Never?"**

**"Never." Bunnymund picked up a closed bag. "Hmm." He opened it a little and the sound of thunder boomed in his face. "Okay, not exactly wind, but can't have lightning without thunder." **

**"What are you guys doing?"**

**"Making a storm. Sandy, get me some wind." Sandy nodded and walked toward a shelf filled with elements.**

**"You know how to make a storm?"**

**"Yeah, I've helped with loads of stuff."**

**"Why are you over at her place so much?"**

**Bunnymund blushed a bit. "Because she asks for my help."**

**"For some reason, I think _you're_ the reason the Titanic sunk."**

**"_You'd _do that, not me, mate." Bunnymund rolled his eyes and climbed up a shelf to get rain. "North, what do you think? Stinging or pouring rain?"**

**"Pouring." North answered, putting in more clouds. Jack leaned against the wall and spotted something of interest. It was a jar that read in big warning letters, '****HAIL' ****He climbed up a ladder and picked it up and looked at the shiny ice. Sandy ran past him hurriedly, bumping into the ladder he was on. He fumbled with it, spilling some of the ice into the cauldron. Jack innocently put the jar back and walked away nonchalantly.**

**"Alright, Sandy. Give me the wind." Bunnymund reached for the bag, but Jack snatched it from him. "Jack give me the bag now."**

**"I thought _you _were the only windbag around here. How does this thing work?" **

**"Jack, don't-" Too late. Jack had opened it and it flew into another room, which emitted a loud sound, similar to the sound of broken glass. **

**They looked at the shattered glass all over the floor. Bunnymund had gone as white as Jack's hair. It was amazing that he'd managed to stay conscious. "She's gonna _kill _you." Bunnymund's face went from white to red as he poked Jack in the chest.**

**"_You're _the one who set off the bag of wind!"**

**"But _you're _the expert." Bunnymund growled and shook his head.**

**"Is easy fix. We sweep up glass, she never knows." North said. Bunnymund nodded sarcastically.**

**"Yea, that'll work. IF SHE DOESN'T NOTICE ALL THE BLOODY ORBS MISSING!"**

**"That could be problem."**

**"Olay, North get three brooms, Sandy get some ice to make look-a-like orbs, Jack…stay out of the way!" Jack smiled and leaned against an orb, almost dropping it. **

**Bunnymund grabbed the orb and growled. "Sweet, I don't have to do any work." He snatched the orb and started bouncing it in his hand.**

**"_YOU'RE _going to…make more orbs with your staff." Bunnymund smiled as he took the orb from Jack and shoved the staff in his hand. "About 1,000 should do it."**

**"1,000!?"**

**"Yes. 100 for the ones you broke, and 900 just because I don't like you." Jack groaned and walked away. "Now, let's get to work."**

**Not five minutes later did Jack return with an armful of orbs. "What about these?"**

**Bunnymund's face turned pale. "Where did you get those?"**

**"Hall of Guardians."**

**"What!? You didn't. Please don't tell me you went in there!" He ran out and his disgruntled scream came from the entrance to a large hall with a broken sign that clearly read 'DO NOT ENTER'. "Can't you read!? DO NOT ENTER!" Bunnymund groaned and hid his face behind his paws. "I'm not seeing this." Jack laughed.**

**"Why are you so scared? It's the Hall of Guardians. Us. I wonder where my Hall is."**

**"Gai is going to tear your soul out and throw it down an abyss! Put those orbs back and _never _enter this place again."**

**"Why aren't we allowed in here?" Jack wandered in the Hall and looked around.**

**"First off, this is her place; we need to respect her rules. Secondly, even _she _doesn't like coming in here."**

**"Hey, I found yours." Bunnymund growled and followed him.**

**"Jack, I'm not kidd-"**

**"Your first name is _Edmund? _No wonder you're sour." The angry rabbit grabbed Jack by the hood of his jacket and yanked him out of there. Just as he shut the door to the Hall, Gai walked in.**

**"Hey guys. What are you doing?" She asked with a smile on her face. Bunnymund froze against the wall. **

**"Uh, just getting the storm brewing. We still needed rain." He lied too unconvincingly, though Gai didn't seem to notice.**

**"Did everything go okay?"**

**"Oh, yeah. Perfect. How mad was Time?"**

**"A bit ticked off." **

**Jack snickered, "Like a clock?"**

**"Funny, no. More like this storm I'm about to send. I'll go get Topeka." The two stepped in front of her.**

**"Why don't you let us handle it? You work so hard as it is." Bunnymund commented. Gai smiled and crossed her arms.**

**"Are you hiding something from me?"**

**"Us? What makes you say that?"**

**"Just a hunch. And the fact that I see North and Sandy sweeping up glass." Sandy hid the small broom behind his back with an innocent smile.**

**"Okay, look-"**

**"You were bring a nice rabbit and Jack messed up everything and you guys tried to hide it by making new orbs and cleaning up the broken glass?"**

**"I'll regret asking this, but how'd you know?"**

**"I set the whole thing up." Bunnymund's face went from pale to bright red.**

**"What?" He gritted his teeth.**

**"Yup. From the whole leaving you guys here to you having a panic attack."**

**"Why would you do that!?"**

**"One, to test how reliable you guys are in owning up to your mistakes and two, to see how troublesome the infamous Jack Frost _really_ is."**

**"You _knew _this was going to happen?"**

**"Of course. Did you think I'd trust you in the same room as Jack unsupervised?" No response. "All the stuff that broke was look-a-like."**

**"And I was kind of hoping to see you mad." Jack said somewhat sarcastically.**

**"Trust me, you don't. When I become mad, you'll regret wanting to see me that way."**

**"Wait, was the whole deal with Time real or did you make that up?" Bunnymund asked accusingly.**

**"Real." She smiled and sent the storm to Topeka. It was then that Jack remembered the hail he spilled.**

**Pitch waited at the doors of Time's palace. The Anti-Guardians knew what they were supposed to do. A gleam in his eyes shone as the Anti-Guardians took down guards.**

**"So, what do you think Pitch is going to do with the Anti-Guardians?" Jack asked, unknowing to the fact that as he spoke, his counterpart had stolen the soul of a guard.**

**"Who knows? It's Pitch." North answered.**

**"I hope I get a chance to take on Frostbite." Jack commented as a group of snowflakes danced on his fingertips.**

**Everyone looked at Jack with puzzled looks. "Who?" Tooth asked.**

**"Frostbite. My evil counterpart."**

**"You named it?" Bunnymund asked in an annoyed tone.**

**"You named him Frostbite?" Tooth added.**

**"I named them all. Frostbite, Crush Kringle, Tooth Decay, and T. Error Bunnymund." **

**Hallie fell over laughing as Bunnymund glared. "Really?"**

**"Like Terror Bunny but cooler," this made Hallie laugh even harder. **

**"I'M GONNA BURST A SEAM!" She choked. **

**"I would have went with Wolverine, but it's not easy coming up with a name for an evil bunny. Little Bunny Voodoo, Peter Cottonkill, Thugs Bunny-"**

**"I get it!" He groaned as Hallie's laughter turned into cackling.**

**Pitch smirked as he walked into Time's throne room. "Hello, I'd like to 'talk' to you." He cooed evilly.**

**Time looked down at him. "Pitch Black? Well I'll be! What is it you want, you slime?"**

**"Little birdie told me how the Guardians came to be. You will give me your necklace or I'll take it from you. Your choice."**

**"HA! You an' what army?"**

**"Oh, I _love _it when people ask that." The Anti-Guardians surrounded him.**

**Everyone saw an image of Pitch appear with the Anti-Guardians holding a nearly-unconscious Father Time. "Hello, as you can see, I have the upper-hand. You six have only a short time to be existent. So, in advance, good riddance." Pitch held up Time's necklace and vanished.**


	3. Chapter 2

**"We need to get to the palace now! The quickest way is through a portal, come on!"**

**"Anything but a portal, please." Bunnymund begged, "How about the tunnels?"**

**"Fine, we take tunnels. Let's go!" North said. Gai pulled at her hair nervously.**

**"You okay?" asked Hallie.**

**Gai nodded, "Yeah. Just those tunnels are kind of dark. And small. And I'm just a _teensy _bit afraid of the dark. And tight spaces." Bunnymund opened the tunnel and watched everyone but Gai jump down.**

**"Come on, Gai." He egged. She shook her head. "We really don't have _time _for this."**

**"I'm scared."**

**He held out his paw, "Just close your eyes and it'll be all over." Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and grabbed his paw. The ground beneath her feet disappeared as she fell through a tunnel. As the wind rushed past her, she held on to Bunnymund, making him blush slightly. They landed on the other side where the other waited for them. "Told you."**

**"Well, looks like you two are getting comfy with each other." Jack and Hallie said in unison. They looked at each other and Hallie blushed, looking down. Bunnymund realized that his arms had started to embrace Gai. They quickly separated. **

**"TIME!" Gai exclaimed, running into the throne room. He was slowly but surely getting to his feet.**

**"Gaia! Thank Manny you're all right!" He exclaimed.**

**"Me? Look at _you_." She said, helping him to his feet.**

**"Oh, don't worry about me. Time heals all wounds. But Pitch; he's got my necklace! He's gone back in time!"**

**She gave a gasp. "What?"**

**"He's doin' it to get rid of the Guardians."**

**"What good would going _back _in time do?" Hallie asked.**

**"To stop you from being created." Time had a hold of Gai as if she might disappear at any second. "And…to do that, he's got to do either one of two things; convince your creator to not create you…or destroy it before it has a chance to do so."**

**"Destroy?" Jack repeated. Time nodded gravely. Gai held on to Time as she figured out what he was saying. "You mean Manny?"**

**"No, mate. Manny chooses us, but someone _else _creates us."**

**"Then who-" Before he could get the rest of his question out, Sandy walked up to Gai and patted her calf, comforting her. **

**"Didn't you ever wonder why she's called _Mother _Nature?"**

**"Wait, you mean-"**

**"Pitch went back in time to destroy Mother Nature to keep us from being made." North answered.**

**"We won't let him." Bunnymund defended with a shaky voice.**

**"Won't that destroy him, too?"**

**"Not if it's after he's been created." Time answered, looking through a shelf. "So what you need to do is go after him."**

**"He's in the past." Bunnymund pointed out. Time handed Gai a necklace with a charm shaped like an hourglass.**

**"Exactly. Now stay close to Gaia." They huddled around her. "This necklace's power is weaker than mine, so you'll have to all grab onto it."**

**"Grab on." Gai said a bit confidently. With everyone's hand on the necklace, the group disappeared.**

**Pitch looked at his surroundings. Too modern. Drat! He wasn't in the right time. Time travel was too annoying. "Stupid necklace." Hopefully the Anti-Guardians would find _someone _to destroy to make up for it. He spotted Gai nearby hiding behind a shrub. A Guardian was about to be risen, he knew it. Before she could step forward, Pitch pulled her back hard.**

**"Pitch, you-"**

**"Are one step closer to my glorious reign. It will be mine once more. I could kill you right now." She looked at him with a petrified face. "For what you did to me." His speech was interrupted by a noise. He was being followed. Pitch sneered at her. "We'll finish this talk later." She blinked as he disappeared not realizing that in front of the shrub she was hiding behind, a young, feathered girl had risen. The Guardians appeared and the moment Gai had seen her past self looking their way, she hid behind a tree with a squeal. The rest of them were pulled into hiding.**

**"Why are we hiding?" Jack asked a bit too loudly, deserving him a 'shush' from Gai. **

**"It'll cause a paradox. We've just missed Pitch." How Gai could figure that out, no one could figure out because she'd already grabbed the Time Necklace; and Jack had started walking up to the past Gai. "What-is-he-doing?" North stepped back, hearing the sound of her voice that closely resembled a poisonous snake.**

**"Hey, you haven't met me yet, but I have a few consumer complaints about some certain Guardians. You might want to try a cheerier person for the Easter Bunny. And a younger one for reasons he'll be mad at me explaining. As for when you choose me, can you make me drown with shoes on? My feet get really dirty and…" Gai pulled out her face.**

**"Sandy, knock him out!" She pleaded loudly. He nodded and threw a ball of Dream Sand at him. Sandy waved at the confused elf as he dragged Jack away. She waved back, trying to figure out what had happened.**

**"You know, we could leave him. It'd do a lot better." Bunnymund said. North sighed and looked at Gai as he put Jack over his shoulder.**

**"Tooth has not gone, so we still have time." They grabbed onto the Necklace and disappeared. "If we use this necklace carefully, we can follow Pitch's trail to the time and date he arrives. So he must be here, but where?"**

**"More importantly, _when_? If we're in the time he's looking for, we're out of luck." Hallie said. Gai looked around and smiled, her cheeks turning pink.**

**"I remember this day!" Bunnymund groaned as if he knew why she was so excited about this day.**

**"You remember _everything_." He commented, crossing his arms. **

**Instead of acknowledging Bunnymund, she continued, "This was the day I met Heartstrings." **

**"Who?" Hallie asked.**

**Bunnymund rolled his eyes and made a disgusted noise. "The biggest bloody show-off that ever existed. Even worse than your stupid snowflake." He motioned over to Jack, who was slowly coming through.**

**"The guy who has your imaginary girlfriend wrapped around his finger?"**

**"First of all, she's not my imaginary girlfriend, and secondly, she's not-" He realized Gai staring at Heartstrings from a distance with hearts in her eyes. "Okay, she's a _little _wrapped around his finger, but she's _not _my imaginary girlfriend, mate." Bunnymund snatched the Necklace from Gai. "_Obviously _Pitch isn't here. Let's go." With a very disappointed Gai, they disappeared. When they reappeared, they were all knocked back hard. Looking, they saw Pitch with the Anti-Guardians and a sneer across his face.**

**"Did you think I didn't know I was being followed?" He asked. The Anti-Guardians surrounded them. Bunnymund blinked once and saw that Decay had snatched the Necklace from him and threw it into a nearby river. "Finish them." **

**North swung his sword at his counterpart, only to be blocked by a rapier. Kringle smirked and parried. North jumped back and swung his sword, but the Shadow disappeared.**

**Reappearing behind him, the evil counterpart took a sword from his good half and aimed it at him.**

**Hallie jumped through the trees, chasing after Decay. When she got close enough, she jumped and grabbed her ankle. Decay snarled and shook her ankle, trying to get the zombie-girl off of her. Although her grip was tight, the stitching on her wrist wasn't. Her wrist started coming loose and Hallie wasn't the only one who noticed it. Decay gave her ankle one great shake and the stitching came loose. As Hallie fell, Jack caught her in the hook of his staff. "Thanks." He laughed and instantly was knocked out of the tree. Frostbite rolled to his feet.**

**"Hi there." Frostbite pinned the staff of his good counterpart to the ground with his foot and kicked it out of his hand. "Crikey." The young Guardian tilted his body to avoid getting hit by the orb that sat on top of the staff of Frostbite. **

**Bunnymund shoved Frostbite to the side as he took on Error. "I'm startin' to think we're in over our heads." Error and Frostbite surrounded the two, forcing them back-to-back. "On the count of three."**

**"Ready when you are, Thumper."**

**"One."**

**"Two."**

**"Three!" Bunnymund tapped his foot and they both fell down a tunnel. Pitch snarled and held up the necklace.**

**"Enough child's play! This last transport _will _lead me to the right period.  
The Anti-Guardians surrounded him and just before they jumped, Sandy ran and grabbed hold of the bottom of Pitch's cloak.**

**Pitch, the Anti-Guardians, and Sandy vanished with a flash.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Gai frantically searched through the water for the necklace. "Come on, come on!"**

**"Why are we searching down here?**

**"The river led to the waterfall that drops to this lake."**

**"The necklace could still be up there. Could have been caught on a log, rock, or even eaten by a fish."**

**"Jack!" Hallie snapped.**

**"What? We need all the hope we can get."**

**"Fine." Jack shrugged and leaned against a tree. "Bunny, I wouldn't go in that part of the water. Piranhas live there." Bunnymund was too busy getting hold of a large fish.**

**"Why don't you get up and help us?" He asked sarcastically.**

**"Gai doesn't want to risk me freezing the water. **

**North pulled a piranha off his foot and groaned. "Is impossible to find necklace." He threw his arms up in the air. Gai sobbed and fell to the bottom of the water. Bunnymund dragged her out, picking piranhas off his ears.**

**"We're doomed." He grumped.**

**Quickly, Gai sat up with a terrified gasp. "Sandy's gone back to the past with Pitch!"**

**"Yeah, we know that."**

**"To where he hasn't been created yet!"**

**"So?" Jack asked.**

**"Don't you know the amount of chaos and havoc that could cause!?**

**"No."**

**"Do you realize how stupid I am!?"**

**"…Is this a trap?" **

**She paced frantically. "If I see him and he's _there _instead of _here, _I'll think that since he's _there _I won't need to make him when the time comes for him to _be _made and he won't last until _here_."**

**Jack stared at her with a befuddled look while Bunnymund tried to figure out what she was saying. "Uh, repeat?" North asked innocently. Hallie stood by Gai and rolled her eyes.**

**"If she sees Sandy _then_, she won't make him when he's supposed to be made because he's already there. So the end result will be him slowly fading away into nothing." She explained.**

**Gai continued biting her nails.**

**"Well if Pitch succeeds, we're toast anyway." Jack shrugged. **

**Hallie muttered, "So cute, but so dumb."**

**"OOH! I have an idea!" Gai exclaimed before running off excitedly.**

**"Can someone lend a hand?" Hallie asked, holding up her right arm which was missing a hand.**

**Gai popped out of a tree trunk, "Come on!"**

**They followed her to a large sand castle on a secluded island. The giant doors opened when they entered. "What is this place?" Jack asked.**

**"Sandy's home." North answered in an impressed voice. Everyone turned their head toward a room that Gai headed towards. Slowly everyone walked into the room. It was a large, five-star bedroom with curtains hanging on large windows. Each corner had moving pictures that looked like saved dreams. In the king-sized bed made of golden sand, wrapped in a large comforter, sleeping like a baby was Sandy.**

**Gai walked up to him cautiously. "What's he doing?" She asked with a genuine confused look on her face.**

**"He's sleeping." Jack said obviously.**

**"Sleeping?" She looked back at him. "It looks lovely…I wish I could do it." She started yawning, but shook her head and backed up. "So who wants to wake him up?" Bunnymund rolled his eyes as Jack spun his staff around. He started poking Sandy, but when he didn't wake up, he shoved him off the bed.**

**"Jack!" Bunnymund snapped.**

**"What? He's a heavy sleeper." Sandy woke up and looked at the people in his room. Who were they?**

**"Hi, Sandy. There's a bit of a problem. Pitch has gone back in time to keep you and the other Guardians from being made. We're from the future and your future self has gone back in time with him to try and _stop _him. So…yeah." Gai explained.**

**Jack waved. "When you meet me in the future, warn me about the Easter Bunny. He's not the nicest of people…rabbits." Bunnymund shoved him to the side.**

**Gai sighed with a smile. "Okay, you're still here that means Pitch hasn't killed me yet. You need to stay with us so that we know how close to my demise we are." As if this were an everyday thing, Sandy nodded and joined them. Bunnymund pulled her to the side.**

**"_This _is your plan? Wait until Sandy disappears before we do something?"**

**"Well, right now that's the plan, but we're now going to see Father Time to get another necklace."**

**He sighed, realizing that there would be no arguing with her where he'd win, and said, "We'll take the tunnels." **

**"No!" He jumped back a little, surprised. "Uh…well…I was hoping to take the sleigh. I'm a fast flyer. Plus it's less dark. And crowded." He went to interject, but didn't say anything. "To the sleigh!"**

**She led them to North's sleigh and hopped in the front seat. "You're flying?" North asked.**

**"Yep."**

**"Shotgun!" **

**Gai shook her head with a smile. Bunnymund swallowed. If North was _that _excited about her flying, he should be _terrified. _Jack and Hallie jumped in while Sandy floated in, looking almost as excited as North.**

**"What exactly should I expect?" Bunnymund asked North.**

**North let out a laugh. "Bah! You'll wet your fur. She is best flyer I've ever seen."**

**Bunnymund furrowed his eyebrows and groaned, "Brilliant." Once he'd gotten in the sleigh, it took off with a fast start. "CRIKEY!" He held on to the floor, covering his eyes.**

**"Does this happen often?" Hallie asked, hiding a snicker.**

**"Not often enough." Jack answered, who was laughing so hard that he started coughing.**

**"North! Your reindeer are slow!" Gai shouted over the wind. "They need more exercise between Christmases." **

**"Slow!? Remind me to look up the definition of _fast _when I get feeling back in my body," groaned Bunnymund.**

**"Sure. When I get done cleaning up your rabbit piddle." North laughed.**

**The sleigh made a sharp dive, sending its passengers in the air. Jack nonchalantly hung in the air watching Hallie put her leg back on. Meanwhile, Sandy awaited eagerly to return to the sleigh while North shouted something in Russian that might have translated to 'yee-haw'.**

**"Don't look down, don't look down." Bunnymund cowered. The palace of Father Time was seen in the distance.**


	5. Chapter 4

**"Father Time!" They ran into his throne room. "Hi, um we need a Time Necklace. Long Story." **

**He stared at them for a few seconds. "I don't remember you creating any of those people."**

**"Eh…"**

**"That's not good." Jack said. Bunnymund winced. This was bad. Dreading his response, Gai explained all that had happened. With each sentence, his face became redder.**

**Finally, he got his chance to lose his temper. "YOU LET PITCH STEAL ONE OF THE NECKLACES _AND _YOU LOST ONE!? How could you be so irresponsible? Honestly, the one thing you need to do and you mess it up."**

**She opened her mouth, but Time gave her the stink-eye, making her cower behind North. Bunnymund stepped up. "Hold on a minute, you old geezer. First off _you _let Pitch take the Time Necklace, so that's _your _fault. And we were ambushed. You think we could have seen an ambush coming?" The short, dilapidated old man growled at him. "Am I making myself clear, you feeble old man?"**

**"You listen here, rabbit. No one tells me how to treat her. Time controls nature, I control her!"**

**"And if I disagree?"**

**"Bunny…I wouldn't get him angry." Gai warned. Bunnymund snarled, ignoring Gai.**

**"Don't talk down to me, boy." Time spat.**

**"What are _you _gonna do about it, old man?"**

**They walked out of his palace, not saying anything as Gai hung her head. "This isn't happening." Gai muttered.**

**Jack shrugged with a smile. "I like him better this way." He laughed. In the middle of the group was a _very _unhappy-looking rabbitling. **

**"He could have at least given me the right sized ears." **

**"And feet." **

**"Shut up." Bunnymund pulled his ears forward, which reached the ground two feet before he did. And speaking of feet, his had not shrunken an inch.**

**Gai laughed and looked down at him, scratching behind his ear. "At least he likes you."**

**He shoved her hand away and raised an eyebrow. "What are _you _talking about?"**

**"Well, if he didn't like you, he would have aged you differently. You could be a shriveled pile of fur and bones. I'm pretty sure he likes you. No one's ever stood up to him like that before."**

**"He wouldn't need to work too hard to turn Bunny into a shriveled pile of bones." Jack mocked.**

**"How old do you think I _am_?" Bunnymund asked.**

**"I don't know. Eight, nine.""**

**"I didn't mean _now_, smart-aleck." Hallie giggled and held up a Time Necklace.**

**"You guys can thank me later."**

**"You stole it?" Jack asked, genuinely impressed. She nodded, laughing. "Neat." Gai grabbed the necklace and held it up, ready to time-jump.**

**"Grab on!" Bunnymund jumped up and grabbed a hold of it before they vanished with a flash. **

**They appeared in a meadow near a forest. "So, what time are we in? If we're at the exact moment Pitch arrived, wouldn't he be here, too?" Hallie asked.**

**"Well, not exactly. We're in the same time period, but the same amount of-hey, look a butterfly!" Gai ran over to a small patch of butterflies and giggled, causing more to appear out of nowhere. One landed on her nose. "Butterflies are my favorite creation. They're so pretty, don't you think?"**

**"Oh yeah, pretty. Keep playing with the butterflies while all of our lives are at stake! We're already breaking the space-time continuum, Hallie's missing a hand, and I'M CUTE AND FLUFFY! WHY would you want to be playing with butterflies at this time!? This is the _WORST TIME POSSIBLE TO BE PLAYING WITH ANIMALS!_"Gai stared at him, her lip starting to quiver. Bunnymund furrowed his eyebrows. "Great."**

**"Nice." Jack said sarcastically. Gai sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye as rain started to trickle from the sky. Bunnymund groaned and got on all fours. He then followed with getting her attention and staring up at her with 'puppy-dog eyes'. Gai immediately picked him up and hugged him, cuddling him.**

**"Hey! That's enough hugging and cuddling."**

**"I can never stay upset at you." Ignoring his demands, she hugged him tighter and giggled, "Cute widdle baby bunnies are so adowable!"**

**"Been around them for over 300 years. Nope. I _still _don't understand girls." Jack sighed. Bunnymund gritted his teeth as he shoved her face away from his, although his cheeks turned bright pink. "Alright. That's enough. I'm the _Easter _Bunny not a _cuddle _bunny." He growled, ignoring Jack and Hallie's laughter. "Let's find Pitch and get this over with." **

**"And how exactly are we going to beat Pitch? Tooth is away in Europe, Sandy's practically gone, and you've been turned into a baby rabbit." Hallie pointed out.**

**"Look here, newb. I am _not _a baby rabbit. I am a _kid._" **

**"Alright." **

**Gai put Bunnymund down and dusted herself off. "If you think about it, we still have a chance, though. We've got the best swordsman in the universe, a Spellcaster, an even-though-he's-not-full-grown-he-can-still-fight -as-if-he-were-still-an-adult Pooka, me, the ruler of nature, and Jack."**

**Jack raised an eyebrow. "I'm just Jack? No special skills?"**

**Gai put her hand on her chin, thinking. "Um…you can fly. I can't even do that."**

**"Or get angry." **

**"Trust me. When I get angry, you'll either be pleased or get scared. Either way, you'll get what you wish for. And when I do, which I know I will – somehow – we'll win. Because, I'm scary when I'm angry." An arrow shot out of nowhere and landed near her foot. She screamed and hid behind North.**

**"You're our last hope? Now I'm really comfortable." Jack said sarcastically. A young boy no more than a few years older than Jack appeared.**

**"I'm sorry, love. I thought you might've been the Anti-Guardians." Gai pushed North away and blushed. The boy was garbed in a soft pink tunic and donned a brown arrow that normally sat on his back, but had clearly been in use since it was in his hand. His hot pink hair ran past his ears and was neat, yet untidy. **

**"It's quite alright. Forgive and forget. That's what I say." Bunnymund muttered something that sounded somewhat like 'oh great he's here.' **

**"I remember you. You're Mother Nature. Still as beautiful as ever." The skies turned a shade of fuchsia as Gai blushed. **

**"Were you even created yet?" Jack asked him. Heartstrings shot a nasty stare at him, but no one seemed to notice.**

**"And who might you be?" **

**"I might be Jack Frost."**

**"Well, Mr. Frost, I _haven't _been created yet, but I found _this _in a nearby river and knew that I had to help you guys beat Pitch." Heartstrings held up a necklace shaped like an hourglass.**

**"The Time Necklace! I _didn't _lose it!" Gai exclaimed, snatching it from him.**

**"I tried returning it to you, but you kept running off." Heartstrings looked down at Bunnymund with a smile. It was obvious that he had been trying to keep from laughing, seeing that the corner of his lip was quivering. "And you are?"**

**"You know bloody well who I am, you cream puff!" Bunnymund snarled.**

**"Oh right…the rabbit. How stupid of me to forget such a cute and cuddly face."**

**"I am not cute! That's it, Pinkie. You and me, right here, right now!" Hallie giggled. North stepped up and looked at Heartstrings.**

**"All fun aside, we need to find Pitch. And you are going to help us." Gai nodded, getting serious.**

**"We've arrived around five minutes after Pitch got here. And wasted time with this encounter. Not that coming across _you _would ever be a waste of time, Heartstrings." Gai giggled nervously while Bunnymund went unnoticed, making a false gagging noise. "So now we head towards Pitch!"**

**"And where would that be?" Jack asked, leaning on his staff.**

**"Heading towards me. This is the day I created the first Guardian-to-be. So, naturally I'd be at my workshop."**

**"You make people? You know who's going to be a Guardian?" Gai ignored him, acting as if she didn't hear him and exclaimed, "Let's go!"**

**"Fine, but _no_ sleigh! I'd rather take chances with the portals than the crazy flying you blokes do." Bunnymund demanded.**

**"Oh, don't worry. My zip line is the safest and fastest way to travel." Heartstrings commented.**

**"Of course it is. Are we really going to trust this boy? He's got pink written all over him."**

**"Come on, Bunny. It only lasts five seconds." Heartstrings shot out his zip line and zipped down. He was followed by Sandy, then North. Hallie remembered her missing hand and looked around as if an answer would pop out of nowhere. Gai happily stepped to her side and grabbed the wrist of the arm that was missing a hand and held Hallie's staff over her head and offered to be the balance. Hallie smiled and grabbed on and they both zipped down.**


End file.
